For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. It was also rumored that Santos was involved in a Mafia plot to kill President John F. Kennedy, though he denied there was any such conspiracy. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. But before Trafficante testified, someone conveniently killed Roselli. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. He maintained all of the lucrative casinos in Cuba, further cemented, After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. Our thoughts and prayers with you. Weve updated the security on the site. Valenti hired his son-in-law at the produce company and allowed him to name his own salary. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Trafficantes father was the lucky survivor of what was called the Era of Blood, when rival gangs based in Tampa fought for control of Prohibition-era nightclubs and, crucially, the local numbers rackets called bolitas. Battling Mob rivals in South Florida essentially weakened each other financially and, through murder, the number of available soldiers. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Hey, they have more convicts at the track than straight people," Trafficante says. Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. Trafficante was born in Tampa, Florida, to Sicilian parents Santo Trafficante Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore in 1914. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. While he had several close calls with law enforcement including the famed FBI, Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. Donnie Brasco. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? Read free previews and reviews from booklovers. [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida. Trafficante admitted his anti-Castro activities to the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1978, and vehemently denied allegations that he had knowledge of a plot to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. "Even my uncle (Santo Jr.) told me, "Santo, why don't you change your name?' And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. James Anthony Traficant Jr. (May 8, 1941 - September 27, 2014) was an American politician who served as a Democrat, and later independent, member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio.He represented the 17th Congressional District, which centered on his hometown of Youngstown and included parts of three counties in northeast Ohio's Mahoning Valley. She was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. His business ventures have not always been successful. The report was given to the District Attorney's office. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. Published: March 15th, 2017 - By Scott M. Deitche, Contributing Writer, Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17, El Chapos lawyers complain about strict rules at New York prison. Meanwhile, he continued to make money from the drugs that came through Tampa. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. Batista let Trafficante and other mobsters build as many casinos and hotels as they wanted in exchange for a cash kickback. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. His health had declined in his later years. department.". I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. A system error has occurred. 2023, Tampa Mafia. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Many of the familys gangsters were in prison, or too old to be effective. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Ex-FBI agent and later Howard Hughes aide Robert Maheu of Las Vegas was one of the primary go-betweens for Trafficante. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. When Fidel Castro began his ascent to power in the 1950s, Santo Trafficante feared the radical Marxist revolutionary wouldnt cooperate with him. Visitation will take place on Saturday, May 16th, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, with service to follow at Gonzalez Funeral Home, 7209 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL. Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. santo trafficante daughters In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. Failed to remove flower. Every so often I think of the Jekyll Island and White Lake, NC trip and laugh. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. All the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960. Interestingly, Trafficante who was worth about $25 billion at his height in the 80s lived a fairly reserved, modest lifestyle. Try again later. He has thought about it. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. His sons, Dino and Joseph, run it for him, though he worries that sometimes they don't work hard. "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. We guarantee you'll never look at Ybor City the same way again. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. To add further credence to this theory of JFKs assassination, famed prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi (who also wrote the infamous true crime novel on the Manson Family, Helter Skelter), who penned Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, quoted a witness who said that New Orleans boss Marcello had quipped: The dog [JFK] will keep biting you if you only cut off its tail [RFK]., The final piece of evidence for the theory that Santo Trafficante was involved in JFKs assassination was a witness who reported that the mobster had once said himself that JFK not going to make it to the [1964] election. [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. His abiding passion is food. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. Mobster dies, two nations. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Perched on the edge of a leather chair in his attorney's office, Santo J. Trafficante III wears a pained expression on his jowly face. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. He attended a notorious convention of Mafia bosses held in the upstate New York town of Apalachin on November 14, 1957. A few months later, two members of that group took the train to New York City to drum up support for a move against Santo. [13] Trafficante said that he introduced the trio to Cuban exiles in Florida. By 1987, the Mafia boss, who had walked the casino floors of the Sans Souci in Cuba, dined and hobnobbed with Frank Sinatra in the nightclubs and hotels of South Beach, and who commanded a presence in Tampa that is still felt today, was suffering from a diseased kidney and bad heart. "[12] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. So is Santo Jose Trafficante III a mobster? Husband of Private You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. Failed to report flower. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). One bank filed suit in November against him and a business partner, alleging that they defaulted on an $85,000 loan for a piece of property. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. And while cocaine-fueled Latin American criminal networks have been a serious problem in Florida for decades, the Trafficante familys illicit activities were quite infamous as well. She was a native of Tampa, a second-generation Sicilian immigrant who grew up in Ybor city. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. Desr Gerry, please know that I am thinking of you and never forget the kindness bestowed on me in my difficult time but especially the generosity and affection shown to my daughter and grandson. The Shore Acres home is 2,350-square-feet with 10 rooms that Capone reputedly built in 1925 for his mother. You and Santo will always have a special place in my heart. With deepest sympathy and love. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. "I'm in the I.O.U. [20], In 2005, Lamar Waldron and Thom Hartmann's book Ultimate Sacrifice said that Trafficante was behind an aborted plot to kill Kennedy in Tampa on November 18, 1963. He headed the Trafficante crime family from 1954 to 1987 and controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. He offered to pay $150,000 to have Castro killed, but Roselli declined any pay and introduced Maheu to two men he referred to as "Sam Gold" and "Joe." "[1][13] He stated that he was positive that he did not say it because he always spoke to Aleman in Spanish, and said that there was no way to state the phrase in Spanish. Until last year, the younger Trafficante had never been accused of anything more dramatic than bookmaking, a charge that a judge dismissed. He headed the Trafficante crime family and controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Make sure that the file is a photo. While the senior Trafficante had been a major mobster in his own right, nobody could have expected the heights that were going to be reached by his son. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. This is a carousel with slides. [14] When this was pointed out, Aleman denied that he meant that he believed Kennedy was going to murdered and said he thought that Trafficante meant that Kennedy was going to be "hit" politically during the next election. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. "If my uncle knew I was talking to the press, Christ, he'd shoot me," Trafficante says, half-laughing. Despite all of this or, perhaps, because of it, a few writers and filmmakers have chosen to focus on organized crime, determined to give Tampa its due. THE HIT THAT EXPOSED SOME OF TAMPAS ELITE. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". When you think of Florida and organized crime, it is difficult to avoid conjuring up images of Tony Montana in Scarface, or the heyday of Miami Vice. Santo Jr., who had inherited the leadership of the Tampa Mafia around 1950 when his father, Santo Sr., fell ill, had now completed his consolidation of power in Tampa and beyond. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. "I was going to ask him to come over and try our beignets to see how they compare to the Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans," Alessi says. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. She was the Matriarch of the Trafficante Family; and we will all miss her presence, guidance, love and affection. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. Santo Trafficante Jr., one of the last of the old-time reputed Mafia dons, who was reportedly enlisted in 1960 in a futile effort to kill Fidel Castro, has died at the age of 72. A full report was made by the Cuban police, dated January 23, 1958, includes transcripts of long-distance telephone calls made from the Sans Souci during the period AugustDecember 1957. He buys Jaguars for his two sons, hobnobs with sports stars on resort golf courses and occasionally flies to Miami for lunch at a favorite restaurant, the Rascal House. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. Trafficante along with 56 other mobsters was arrested in New York while discussing what to do about the recent death of Gambino family head, Albert Anastasia. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. My heart goes out to the family. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. As a leading member of the syndicate, he also was suspected of having behind-the-scenes interests in other syndicate-owned Cuban casinos: the Hotel Habana Riviera, the Tropicana Club, the Sevilla-Biltmore, the Capri Hotel Casino, the Commodoro, the Deauville, and the Havana Hilton. His luck has not improved recently. There are few indicators that the family is still an active crime network. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. Trafficante had been operating in Cuba since the late 1940s under his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., a mobster in Tampa, Florida.
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